


Cupboard Insights

by ellie_in_space



Category: Broadchurch
Genre: Angst, Daisy's POV, Daisy's like her dad, Daisy's the main character, Domestic, F/M, Family, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Friendship, Kissing, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Post-Canon, Post-Season/Series 03, Romance, Texting, slightly fucked up timelines! please don't care
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:47:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27137521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellie_in_space/pseuds/ellie_in_space
Summary: Daisy’s struggling with her home, her parents and her friends. She’s gloomy after a week at her mum’s and comes back to Broadchurch. But suddenly, it’s a cupboard that becomes most important."She feels a bit like an intruder, as she opens the cupboard. Which is funny, because she’s been in this house very often. She shoves the feeling aside and spots the hoover right away.But in this moment, something else catches her attention."
Relationships: Alec Hardy & Daisy Hardy, Alec Hardy/Ellie Miller
Comments: 12
Kudos: 54





	Cupboard Insights

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> This is a short fic about Daisy! Because we don't know too much about her.  
> It'll have three chapters and the idea came to me as I woke up out of my dreams. So, I kind of had to write it.
> 
> Enjoy!

When she’s coming back to Broadchurch on Saturday after a full week at her mother’s, Daisy’s in a bad mood. It’s late afternoon and dad picks her up at the station. His hug is really helping, but nonetheless she craves to lie down on her bed, hear lots of music and maybe watch something on her laptop.

But dad’s insufferable insistent, that they spent the rest of the afternoon with the Millers. That’s not like him at all, is it?

She sighs silently while they drive through the little town.

„I’m sorry, darlin’. I thought it’d be nice, we’ll have a good time and Miller asked, so…“

„Yeah, ’s alright“, she mutters. An evening with the Millers isn’t bad. She should relax. And dad actually looks like he _wants_ to go. Strange.

„I always thought you’re the antisocial one“, she scoffs. She can hear his low grumble.

„I’m nah antisocial“, he argues, accent-thick.

„Yes, you are! You call her Miller!“, she grins at his profile. She always enjoys to lark around with him. He’s scowling at the street ahead now, but his eyes are sparkling, much like her own. „She’s your only friend and you call her Miller!“

„Owww“, he says gruffly. „She’s not my _only_ friend!“

„So? Who’s your second friend, then?“ He sighs annoyed. „And I don’t count!“

Surprisingly, he stays silent and Daisy’s a bit confused by that. Normally, it’s more challenging to win against him.

Maybe he’s not in the mood, so she tries to soften the atmosphere. „She’s a very good best friend, dad. And I know you don’t need that many people ’round. So it’s fine. And I’m really fond of _Ellie._ So, no reason to deny that.“

„You are?“ He sounds a bit befuddled.

„’Course! She’s a marvel for being this easygoing ’round you!“, she teases. He grumbles again. She’s grinning to herself, bemused by their banter. She actually missed that, that last week. So she couldn’t resist to taunt him. And besides, it’s true.

„Right. How’s been home, then?“, he asks.

Uh fuck, that’s a downer.

„’S not home anymore“, she murmurs. Dad is glancing at her and she knows he fears he has hurt her. But that’s not the problem. He’s so fucking careful regarding mum. It’s unbelievable annoying, that _he_ is the one defending _her_ , all the time!

„ _Please…_ don’t be like that.“

„Like what?“, he asks clueless.

„Stop being _nice_!“

„I’m not nice.“ It’s supposed to be a joke, but she can’t laugh. She just ignores it.

„Just… stop pretending she’s a nice person. ’Course she’s not! She lied to me, she lied to _you_ , and I _hate_ to pretend that I just forget that, ’course she’s my mum!“

Dad’s quiet. It’s not the first time they talk about it and at this point, she’s not reasonable and she knows it. But she _has_ to stop pretending.

„This is just so fucked up“, she mumbles and dad lies his hand at her thigh and tries to sooth her. He says nothing, because he knows, right know she wouldn’t believe him that it’s pretty likely, that Tess is just as desperate to spend time with her than he was two years ago.

„Glad you’re here, darlin’“, he says instead.

„Yeah, me too.“

They’re almost there, as she says: „I can’t go there for a whole week again. It was just too long! Even missed the bloody cliffs!“

He laughs and it makes her feel a tiny bit better.

Shortly afterwards, they wander on the top of said cliffs together: her dad, Ellie, Tom and little Fred. Daisy dawdles behind the lot of them. Her chest feels so tight. She can’t stop thinking about this fucked up life of hers. About mum and all the lies.

Mum was so strange all week. Daisy felt her anger seethe under the surface all the time. But she couldn’t speak with her either. She didn’t want to yell at her. She rather evaded any deeper conversations and mum let her, never been the talkative type herself. Daisy had felt as if she couldn’t breathe!

Mum wouldn’t change. It was a fact. It could make her cry and she didn’t want to cry because of that. It wasn’t her fault, was it?

Ugh, she should stop thinking about it.

The others are a few feet ahead as they stopp, because wee Fred tugs dad to the edge to see the beach down there. Dad lifts the toddler on his shoulders and steps nearer to the cliff, with a save amount of distance. Fred cheers joyfully and waves with his little arms, perhaps to greet the passers-by down at the beach. A small smile flashes over Daisys face. Sitting on dad’s shoulders was rather something, she remembers.

God, sometimes she’s such a child.

It’s not odd, seeing dad with Freddie. She’s used to it by now. They often meet all together, because of dad and Ellie. Fred’s really fond of dad. And dad’s fond of him, Daisy can tell. He always has this genuin smile on his face while being around him, she hasn’t seen in a very long time.

„You’re alright?“

Daisy nearly jumps at the distraction. Tom’s standing beside her.

„O’ course“, she says automatically.

Tom doesn’t look convinced to be honest, but he drops the topic and Daisy’s grateful for that. She turns away to hide her face and tries to concentrate on something else.

„It’s kind of depressing here, isn’t it“, she says, looking at the opulent grey clouds. Because, maybe she feels this miserable, just because of the lack of the sun.

Tom snorts. „You can say that again!“ He grins at her and Daisy can’t help it, but be a bit amused.

„You just like Sandbrook, then?“, he asks, and again Daisy’s startled. They don’t talk that much, which doesn’t mean she wouldn’t. But they never spoke about _that_ before. He doesn’t seem to be the type, but then he would surprise you and be talkative. Not like herself right now.

Maybe she’s more like her dad than she thinks to be.

„Er, well, no. I mean… I lived there my whole life, so it’s kind of not a question, if I _like_ it. But right now… right now I don’t want to be there.“

Tom nods and looks back at the sea. Daisy’s glad that he doesn’t force her by asking _why_. But, it’s quite likely that he already knows.

„You’re right“, he says, still glancing over the landscape. „It’s like, it’s out of question, if you like your hometown. Broadchurch’s… just Broadchurch. It’s not like, I can compare it.“

„Yeah.“ The question rather is, what someone should do, when they lose their home. How could she replace this feeling, which was utterly lost forever. Does she even want to _replace_ it.

The others go ahead, Fred’s still sitting on dad’s shoulders, and for a little while they just stroll in silence.

„So, you like it here then, I guess?“, she asks eventually.

„Hell no, it’s depressing!“, he says deadpan and Daisy laughs out load, causing their parents to glance at them, and Tom to grin.

„Sorry, I spoiled it“, she says with a smirk.

„’S alright. I’m glad you said it. Everyone’s ever so exited about those cliffs.“

„Well, I actually like them.“ She smiles, as he doesn’t look satisfied. „They’re kind of impressing“, she argues.

„Yeah, but you know, in the end it’s not all good, just because there’s sand everywhere.“

He’s looking anywhere but her and she thinks he’s not speaking of the landscape anymore. „Right. So, you’d like to live somewhere else?“

He seems to think about it. „I don’t know. Sometime.“

„Right“, Daisy nods and they return to their comfortable silence, only that Tom seems to be completely lost in thoughts now, too. Better that way. She really doesn’t want to talk anyway.

Eventually the group of them starts going backwards in the direction of the town. Soon, dad goes beside her and she lets him embrace her. She hadn’t realized she had missed that, ’til now. She links arms with him and tucks her hand in the pocket of his woolen coat. He feels so warm. They don’t talk, but she feels understood and it warms her heart. What a hell of a week. He smiles at her and she tries to smile back, but she can’t look at him for too long, as she feels tears building up in her. He knows. She sees it in his eyes.

After a while they pass the church and Tom suddenly stops at the entrance and says, he’ll stop by for a moment. „You go ahead. I won’t be long.“

Ellie looks as if she rather would like to hug him as let him go alone but she got the hint. „Yes! Of course you’ll go. You’ve got your phone?“

„Yeah“, he assured.

„Okay. See you soon!“ They bid their goodbyes and Daisy watches her dad as he looks at Ellies back with a mixture of concern and… tenderness? She can’t be sure. This would be odd, wouldn’t it? Maybe he just seems emotional, because of their silent conversation moments ago.

As they approach the Millers’ home - Ellie had insisted that they at least would grab a cup of tea at hers - Daisy tries to relax her shoulders and rubs her hands in the warmth of the house. It’s colder outside as she would have expected. Apparently, they all have red faces and Ellie teases dad about his red nose, which causes Fred to enthusiastically call him Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Ellie to sing the song, dad to groan and Daisy to laugh so hard, she’s leaning against the wall, while getting out of her shoes.

She goes into the living room and Fred storms to his Legos and Playmobil beside the coffee table. She can hear the kettle and their voices from the kitchen. Dad seems so very much accustomed whenever he’s here. Which isn’t surprising. Daisy’s here at least once a week, and dad probably a lot more. She can’t really tell.

Most of the time when they meet, it just kind of happens. Ellie and dad meet after work at their house or her dad stays at Ellie’s. Daisy doesn’t know what they do. But when they are at dad’s often they’re discussing a case, though sometimes they’re just chatting. Daisy, honestly, loves it, ’cause it gives her the opportunity to be on her own from time to time when dad’s at Ellie’s. But at other times, Daisy comes around and they have dinner all together, because she doesn’t want to be alone. Though, Tom has teased her, it’s all about the food for free.

Daisy doesn’t mind. It’s actually nice to experience this kind of _family feeling._ She never wanted to be an only child, but as her parents divorced, this hope had been relinquished. But here she is, and once again she thinks, that friends are becoming more important, when one’s family has broken apart.

The adults come back with the steaming mugs, Ellie’s smiling widely and even dad has a small smirk on his face. Daisy has to concentrate not to stare at him too much when he does that. In these last months he has laughed and smiled so much. It even got more a few weeks after the Trish Winterman case. She can’t remember him being this cheery, ever! Not even as she was a child and they were a normal family. She wouldn’t dare to irritate him by staring now, while he has a good time. He deserves it.

The two of them sit on the couch and are chatting along. Apparently, it’s not about work, but about children stories. Gosh, she really isn’t used to her dad being this genuine all the time. Well, she knew he could be. But normally it’s covered by this turtle shell he wears. Without it, he’s rather endearing.

After Tom comes back, they drink tee and talk in the living room, though mostly they’re entertained by Fred. Daisy’s slowly coming back to Broadchurch again. Dad’s really chatty today. They witter on so much and it doesn’t feel dull to speak about everything and yet nothing.

It’s half past five as Ellie suggests that they should eat together rather than go home. A few hours ago Daisy would have hated the idea, but now it feels like the only thing to do.

„I could cook“, Dad says and Ellie grins at him. She almost always does that, when dad’s doing something out of place.

„I can help you“, Daisy adds and shrugs. At home they often cook together, working in perfect silence, while one of them decides which music they hear meanwhile. Daisy kind of loves it.

„Honestly, I would like to help“, Ellie interjects. „I really need to improve my skills, ’cause I don’t know if I can occupy you for my cooking ever again.“

Daisy almost thinks he’ll decline, but instead he only raises his eyebrows and says: „Sure.“ They look at each other and this instant, Daisy should suggest that something odd is going on.

But right then, Fred pulls at her thigh. „You need to see ma’ kittens!“

Daisy looks at him surprised. „You’ve got a little kitten? How so?“

Tom sighs and Ellie chuckles amused. „Oh yes! You have to see them!“, she quips. „Off you go!“

Fred drags Daisy upstairs to his room and Daisy’s indeed surprised, as he leads her to his bed, where a little family of plush kittens is sitting on top of the sheets. The way Fred introduces them is really sweet.

Shortly afterwards, Tom pops his head in and asks, if they shall play video games. Daisy beams. On her own she doesn’t play, but with Tom it is total fun. Even Fred’s mesmerized by it, as he watches them play FIFA in Tom’s room.

They’ve played for half an hour at least, as Daisy gets thirsty - she hadn’t had water in her backpack on the train - and she gets up to get them something to drink.

„I can bring you!“, Fred exclaims and grabs the glass on Tom’s nightstand, which slips out of his little hands the second it reaches the edge.

The glass bursts into pieces on the wooden floor and Fred’s scared witless. The wee toddler cries and Tom lifts him up and away from the shattered glass, looking helplessly and a bit confused.

„Wait! I’ll get the hoover“, Daisy says and he nods. „Where is it?“

„In the cupboard. Under the stairs.“

„Right. Be right back.“

She goes out of the room and closes the door. Geez, how distressed Fred can get in a split second! She hears Fred weeping and wonders, if Ellie and dad heard him, while she climbs down the steps. She got down the stairs, but didn’t hear anything, The door to the kitchen is slightly ajar, but she can’t hear something except for the sound of something simmering. She don’t want to concern them. Besides they can deal with a few shards by themselves.

She feels a bit like an intruder, as she opens the cupboard. Which is funny, because she’s been in this house very often. She shoves the feeling aside and spots the hoover right away.

But in this moment, something else catches her attention.

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, thanks to all of you! This work is mostly inspired by all your works here and I wouldn't have done it without you <3
> 
> Also, this is the first fanfic I'm posting actually!! Please be honest with me - I'm not a native speaker, and I'd enjoy all your criticism.
> 
> Next chapter's coming soon!


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